FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Moncierges

What is a Moncierge?

Our Moncierges are all-in-one personal assistants for parents. They are people who can come to your home and switch between the role of housekeeper and nanny with the same flexibility that a parent does.

Each time a Moncierge visits your home, it’s called a session and each session lasts for at least three hours.

Who are your Moncierges?

Our Moncierges come from a variety of backgrounds. Some are former stay at home parents who have just returned to the workforce, others are post-graduate students from care and health related industries and others are professional carers or retirees seeking additional income.

As m-Time is a social enterprise, a core segment of our team are recent migrants hailing from all over the world. We work with migrant communities throughout Melbourne and work hard to provide not only career opportunities for these groups, but an opportunity to join our culture of care and build connections with Australian families.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and therefore we match our clients with Moncierges based on competency. We pride ourselves on creating meaningful relationships amongst people of all backgrounds. In addition, we also hire all our Moncierges as employees meaning we pay them an award rate, super, and cover all insurance and workers compensation.

For more on this, please see our code of conduct in our terms of use here or scroll down to the “Membership” section of our FAQ.

What exactly can my Moncierge do?

A Moncierge gives you more time for self-care and family bonding by working through a curated list of tasks (a runsheet) that you’d like help with.

For out of home tasks that require your Moncierge to use a car (such as picking up kids or running errands around your suburb), the m-Time Uber account will be used and we will invoice you the cost. It is also important to note that what is completed from your runsheet in your first session will help establish the scope of what your Moncierge will be able to do for you each time they visit. For example, for larger homes (typically with four bedrooms or more), three hours may not be enough time to get through a full clean, so the orientation and first session will help determine how much can be done and which things you want your Moncierge to focus on.

Due to the flexibility of our Moncierges, a runsheet can include anything in the following list and more:

cooking

domestic cleaning

childcare

laundry

school drop offs and pick ups

grocery shopping

sending invitations

crafts with the kids

watering plants

sending parcels

making school and work lunches

How do I know how many hours I need each week?

It depends on what you need and the size of your home. For a rough guide, here are the typical lengths of our most popular tasks:

Domestic Cleaning: As a rule of thumb, a two bedroom home will take two hours to clean, a three bedroom home three hours, a four bedroom home four hours, etc. It is important to note that a detailed clean will usually take 50% more time than a domestic clean. Our standard cleans are domestic, detailed cleans are available upon request and will require you to add more hours.

If you’re unsure of the difference between a domestic clean and a detailed clean, here are a few examples:

Laundry: For most households, an hour is usually enough time for a weekly fold and starting a laundry cycle.

Cooking: We require our families to provide recipes and ingredients for cooking, but we understand that it can be easier for your Moncierge to pick up the ingredient list for you. If the recipe and ingredients are provided, one hour is usually enough. If the Moncierge needs to pick up the ingredients for you, 1.5-2hrs is usually enough time.

Tidying: Depending on the size of your home, a tidy will usually take 45mins. A tidy consists of changing your bins, picking up clothes and toys from the floor, wiping tabletops and surfaces, doing the dishes/loading the dishwasher, etc.

If you’re still unsure, don’t worry. m-Time and your Moncierge will help you set a weekly routine with curated runsheets to target your major household stressors. When you sign up to the service, you get to choose a personalised runsheet that your Moncierge will try out for you in the first week. The first week will help to establish the scope of what your Moncierge will be able to do for you, and to help you refine the weekly routine. For example, for larger homes, it might not be feasible to do a full domestic clean AND laundry within the same session. Your Moncierge might only have time to do laundry for you occasionally, unless you give them more time. Once a good routine is set, you have the peace of mind that things will be ticking along smoothly in the background.

Are your Moncierges Trained and Screened?

Moncierges are screened, reference checked and interviewed during our recruitment process and they complete a training module once they join our team. In addition, every Moncierge has: Police Checks, Working with Children Checks, Food Safety Certificates and must go through our child safety protocol prior to getting their first shift.

We also take every staff member through child safety protocols before they start and update these learnings on a regular basis.

Where are Moncierges available?

Our Moncierge service is currently available in Melbourne’s Inner Northern suburbs, additional areas will be available soon!

If you’re not in the north, email us at hello@mtime.com.au or call us on 0422214509 and we’ll see what we can do!

How can I get a Moncierge for my family?

m-Time Membership

What is an m-Time membership?

m-Time memberships give parents access to Moncierge sessions and create a space for self-care and family bonding. Members enjoy Moncierge sessions from only $39/hr, are given a dedicated Moncierge and a dedicated Moncierge coordinator (customer service team member). For more on what you get with an m-Time membership click here.

Members can have Moncierge sessions once or twice a week, depending on their membership plan. Members are also welcome to add more hours to their session as often as they’d like and are able to request ad hoc Moncierge sessions if they need more support.

Membership is $60/month. Your first month is covered by your initial sign up fee. After your first month of service, you’ll have the choice of a monthly admin fee of $60/month or $499 annually (which is 30% cheaper).

What happens after I become a member?

1. You’ll be sent a welcome email and questionnaire to complete from the m-Time team.
2. Within two-three weeks of completing the questionnaire, you’ll receive an email with your Moncierge’s bio, their photo and details of your session time. Please expect a quick call from your Moncierge a few days before your first session.
3. And that’s it! Your Moncierge will come to your home and you’ll start your first session!

How does the trial work?

Every new customer is automatically on a two-session trial. For most of our clients, their second session is when they start to feel their at-home stresses disappear, as they’ve had a chance to see just how flexible their Moncierge is and how quickly the quality of their sessions improves with repeated use. If you cancel your service before completing your two-session trial, you will forfeit the cost of your sessions but we will refund your $60 admin fee.

During the trial period the m-Time team is quite hands on so you’ll hear from us with tips before you start your sessions to help you maximise your experience, then again after each session for feedback and ratings. If you decide not to continue with our service after the two-sessions, we’ll refund your $60 admin fee as long as you let us know you don’t want to continue within five (5) days.

After the two-session trial period, there are no costs involved in cancelling your sessions and you may do so whenever we are no longer the right fit for your needs. We just ask for 72hrs notice before your next session.

What are your admin fees?

m-Time membership has a $60/month admin fee. Your first month is covered by your initial sign up fee.

There are no additional fees until after you’ve confirmed you want to stay on with the service after your two session trial. After the trial you’ll have the choice of a monthly admin fee of $60/month or $499 annually (which is 30% cheaper). To take advantage of the $499 annual option, just contact us via email or phone and we’ll move you across. You can switch to annual fees at any time after your trial period and your membership will be valid for a full year from purchase.

What does my weekly membership plan cost cover?

Your membership plan cost covers the cost of your Moncierge sessions in accordance to the frequency you chose upon joining.

For out of home tasks that require your Moncierge to use a car (such as picking up kids or running errands around your suburb), the m-Time Uber account will be used and we will invoice you the cost (no markups).

Your fee does not include the cost of any goods or services your Moncierge buys on your behalf during your session (such as groceries, sending mail, etc.).

Sessions that fall on Australian Public Holidays incur a 100% surcharge. We will be in touch prior to the date of your session to ask if you would like to change the date or accept the surcharge.

Weekend service incurs a 50% surcharge.

What is your code of conduct for clients?

Due to the personalised nature of the services we provide, you and your family will regularly personally interact with your Moncierge. By using our service, you acknowledge our Moncierges are human beings that deserve your respect, and that your continued use of our services is dependent upon your continued observance of the following code of conduct (“Code of Conduct”):

The purpose of this Code of Conduct is simple: to ensure the safety, comfort and enjoyment of all involved, including you and our Moncierges, when you have a Moncierge Session. Accordingly, you agree that you will not: (i) physically harm, threaten to harm, or intentionally or recklessly cause harm to our Moncierges or create a condition and or situation that endangers the health and safety of our Moncierges; (ii) make or attempt any sexual advance or statement to our Moncierges; (iii) threaten, harass, stalk, intimidate, or engage in any other aggressive or bullying behavior against our Moncierges; (iv) use any vulgar or obscene language or otherwise engage in behavior that is likely to make others feel uncomfortable, embarrassed or offended; or (v) engage in any behavior that discriminates against our Moncierges because of the individual’s race, colour, sex, age, nationality origin, handicap, sexual orientation or religion. If at any time our Moncierges feel uncomfortable working with you, we reserve the right to terminate your membership and refuse service without penalty.

How does billing work?

Your sessions are billed on a weekly basis, every Monday. If your session is paused or cancelled during the week we will issue a refund.

Your subscription is renewed automatically. Subscriptions renew each week. Monthly administration fees are charged on the first (1st) of each month.

Any additional costs incurred during or ordered for your session (e.g. uber trips, additional hours, cost of groceries, etc.) will be sent to your email via invoice and charged to the billing details provided upon joining.

If your company subsidises your m-Time membership, please be sure to use your company email address and enter the company code at checkout to ensure you receive your discount.

What happens if I have to change or miss a session?

That’s no problem at all! Email, call or text us at least 24 hours before your session and we’ll reschedule or skip it for you.

Cancellations within 24 hours of your session incur a 50% fee of the individual session cost.

I'm going away for a while, can I pause my membership?

Of course! You can pause your service for up to three months at a time without having to repay the joining fee or your admin fees. You will not be charged for your ongoing sessions throughout your pause.

To pause, just send us an email/text or post in WhatsApp with the dates you’d like to pause. However, please keep in mind that we operate under a “good faith” policy with our Moncierges. For pauses longer than two weeks, it is at the discretion of your Moncierge if they continue to wait for you or not. Even if your Moncierge loves working with your family, their own financial concerns may mean that they cannot go without work beyond two weeks.

If your Moncierge chooses to take on a new client, we will organise a new Moncierge for you at no cost.

Can I have a custom membership plan?

Email us on hello@mtime.com.au or give us a call on 04221 4509 to discuss your needs.

What if I want to cancel my membership?

To cancel your membership, please do one of the following:

text or call us on: 04 2221 4509;

email us on: hello@mtime.com.au

Cancellations incur no fee as long as the cancellation is made at least 72 hours prior to your next session. Membership cancellations made within 72 hours of your next session will result in the forfeit of your upcoming session cost.

Cancellation of membership prior to the minimum subscription duration of two sessions results in the forfeit of the cost of your sessions.

Okay I'm sold. How do I become an m-Time member?

Moncierge Sessions

What is a Moncierge session?

Each time a Moncierge visits your home, it’s called a session and each session lasts for at least three hours. Members are welcome to add more hours to their session as often as they’d like. Members are also able to request ad hoc Moncierge sessions if they need more support.

What happens in the 30 minute Orientation?

The first time we meet you, you’ll have an orientation with your Moncierge so that you can get to know each other. We’ll add an extra 30 minutes to your first session so that the orientation doesn’t eat into your session time.

During the orientation your Moncierge will ask for a tour of your home, confirm your checklist, and learn how to use your appliances. It is important for you to demonstrate how to use all your equipment (e.g. vacuum, dishwasher, etc.) so that your Moncierge is aware of how to take care of your home even when you’re not there. Once the orientation is complete, your Moncierge will follow your checklist.

What happens in a Moncierge session?

Every Moncierge session is tailored to each parent’s individual needs, but there are a few things which are standard for everyone.

When you join m-Time, your Moncierge coordinator will help you create a home manual and a session checklist. The checklist will form the core list of tasks that your Moncierge will do for you every visit. The home manual will be used to guide your Moncierge on how to complete the tasks on the checklist to your liking.

The first time we meet you, you’ll have an orientation with your Moncierge so that you can get to know each other. We’ll add an extra 30 minutes to your first session so that the orientation doesn’t eat into your session time.

During the orientation your Moncierge will ask for a tour of your home, confirm your checklist, and learn how to use your appliances. Once the orientation is complete, your Moncierge will follow your checklist. For all future sessions, you’ll be able to add or change things to your checklist whenever you like by talking directly to your Moncierge or contacting your Moncierge coordinator.

Childcare is accessible after your second Moncierge session.This is because we want our families and Moncierges to build rapport and trust with each other first. For safety reasons, we do not encourage our Moncierges to do housekeeping or cleaning tasks at the same time as childcare, so when you use your sessions for childcare, your Moncierge will devote their full attention to your children instead of completing your checklist.

What is the home manual?

When you join m-Time, your Moncierge coordinator will send you a questionnaire about your home. The questionnaire will ask you for things like your laundry preferences, where your cleaning products are kept, how to use your appliances and how you like things done. These answers will be used to create your home manual – a guide for your Moncierge on how to complete the tasks on your checklist to your liking. Home manuals reduce the amount of time you will need to spend orientating your Moncierge on how to do things and helps to ensure your expectations are consistently met as your preferences have been logged with the m-Time team.

The first time your Moncierge visits, they will clarify some things in the manual and may add notes for future reference.

How do I create my session checklist?

When you join m-Time you’ll be sent a membership questionnaire that will allow you to select what tasks you’d like to add to your checklist. You can use a set checklist or customise your own by following the prompts in the questionnaire.

Is my checklist set in stone?

Nope! You are more than welcome to swap or add additional tasks to your checklist at any time by speaking to your Moncierge or contacting m-Time. However, in order for your Moncierge to prepare and prioritise your tasks for each session, we do ask that you tell them of any changes at least 24hrs before they come to your home.

If you do decide to add tasks, we highly reccomend adding additional time to your session to ensure that your Moncierge has enough time and attention to perform all tasks with care. Your Moncierge will advise you of the length of particular tasks when you speak to them.

If you don’t add more time to your session when adding additional tasks, your new tasks will be performed first and the core checklist will be followed once the new task is complete – this means that some of your usual tasks may not be completed. You’re welcome to add more time to your session in increments of 30 minutes by contacting m-Time via email or phone. You are also welcome to swap out tasks at your discretion.

What happens when I want my Moncierge to do childcare?

If you want to use your session for childcare, your Moncierge will devote their full attention to your children instead of doing your checklist. You are welcome to do this as often as you like once you have had two sessions.

For safety reasons, we do not encourage our Moncierges to do housekeeping or cleaning tasks at the same time as childcare. For those who want regular childcare, we reccomend using the Plus plan and enjoying three hours of dedicated housekeeping and three hours of childcare.

What will my Moncierge use to clean my home?

If you ask your Moncierge to help with cleaning tasks, they will use the products in your home. If you need a hand selecting what they’ll need, you’re welcome to contact the m-Time team at any time.

How do you ensure quality?

We do a number of things. Firstly, we screen, reference check and interview our Moncierges before they’re hired. Once they join our team, they complete a training module on housekeeping and customer service and are given our child safety protocol.

Once a Moncierge is assigned to you, the information we put in your home manual is key. The home manual not only helps your Moncierge know what to do, but how to do it. Your first session will come with an extra 30 minutes so that you and your Moncierge can get to know each other and have a tour of your home. During the tour, your Moncierge will confirm and clarify the details in the manual and may write down your answers for future reference. The completed manual will help set in place the expectations you’ll have for each other each session.

Beyond your trial sessions, the m-Time team will check in with you and your Moncierge every so often to make sure things are going smoothly.

For most of our clients, their second session is when they start to feel their at-home stresses disappear, as they’ve had a chance to see just how flexible their Moncierge is and how quickly the quality of their sessions improves with repeated use. It is for this reason that we have a two session minimum for our membership trial.

Will I have the same Moncierge for every session?

Yes! We consider the relationship you and your family build with your Moncierge to be of paramount importance. In the event your dedicated Moncierge can’t make it, you’ll be allocated another one of our professionals. You’ll be given their details before your session and they’ll be briefed on your checklist and given access to your home manual.

Please note: Our Moncierges are casual and part time employees so they can only do a max of two sessions per week per client. If you would like to have more than two sessions each week, you will have more than one Moncierge allocated to your family.

Can I speak to my Moncierge before my session?

Absolutely! You will be given a phone call from your Moncierge prior to your session so that you can get to know each other. In turn, we add an extra 30mins to your first session so that you and your Moncierge can chat in person before they begin going through your checklist.

You will also be given a detailed bio, photos and a qualification checklist of your Moncierge before your session.

Can I meet my Moncierge before my session?

We currently don’t arrange meetings between clients and Moncierges prior to matching. Instead, we’ll use the answers you provide in your membership questionnaire to match you with a Moncierge who meets your needs and preferences. You will also be given an introductory phone call from your Moncierge prior to meeting and we will add an extra 30 mins to your first session so that you and your Moncierge can chat in person before they begin going through your checklist. You will also be sent a detailed bio, photos and a qualification checklist of your Moncierge before your session.

How soon can I have my first session?

Typically, we match you with a Moncierge within three weeks and you can start your sessions immediately after that. Sometimes we can get you matched faster, but our team will be in touch throughout the matching process to let you know what is possible.

Can I choose my Moncierge?

We don’t currently allow the option to choose your Moncierge or do one to one placements, but we may offer this service in future.

Our matches are based upon the membership questionnaire you complete upon joining and a questionnaire we have all staff complete upon hiring them. As a result, all matches are carefully considered in terms of competency, family lifestyles, values and needs.

After each session, you’ll be asked to rate your Moncierge to ensure that you are consistently happy with their service and behaviour. If ever there is an issue or you want to change your Moncierge, we’ll troubleshoot the issue with you.

Can my Moncierge do out of home tasks?

For out of home tasks that require your Moncierge to use a car (such as picking up kids or running errands around your suburb), the m-Time Uber account will be used and we will invoice you the cost.

Why can't I use childcare straight away?

We don’t encourage childcare straight away because we want our families and Moncierges to build a rapport with each other first.

We know that relationships take time, and the relationship your children have with your Moncierge is of paramount importance. We want you and your children to have time to build a relationship with your Moncierge, and in turn, for your Moncierge to have time to learn about your children’s personality and needs. Once you both get to know each other and a solid foundation has been built between you, we find that even the shyest of kids take a big shine to their Moncierge.

How do I communicate with my Moncierge?

Communication between our Moncierges and clients is conducted through a WhatsApp group we create for you once you join. We use Whatsapp so that m-Time’s customer experience team can join the chat to answer any questions as necessary, and log requests and feedback.

Many families also use a communication notebook and print copies of their session checklists for their Moncierge to use each visit.

If you ever need to contact your Moncierge urgently or change something about your session, you can also just give us a call or a text. Alternatively, email us on hello@mtime.com.au.

Can I add more time to my sessions?

Of course, additional hours are available in increments of 30 minutes and are $39/hr.

Adding more time is easy. Just send us a text or give us a call at least 48 hours in advance (0422214509) with your name, the date of your session and how many extra hours you’d like. We’ll confirm your additional hours by return text message and we’ll send you an invoice shortly afterward.

If you’re in the midst of a session and your Moncierge informs you that they may need more time to get through everything one week, you are also welcome to ask your Moncierge to stay back a little longer. If they say yes, then just send us a text confirming the overtime and we’ll send you an invoice or charge your account.

If you’d like to add more time to future sessions or add time on an ongoing basis just let us know via email or phone.

Can I have more than two sessions a week?

Sure! We are happy to organise additional sessions for you, but they will be split between two Moncierges. For example, a family who has four sessions a week may have one Moncierge for three days and another for one day. We do this to accommodate the availabilities of our Moncierges as many of them have families of their own or are completing postgraduate studies.

To organise additional sessions, please email us on hello@mtime.com.au.

Can I have sessions on the weekend?

Sure! We are happy to organise weekend sessions for you, but we charge a 50% surcharge in order to appropriately pay our Moncierges.

Can I have sessions shorter than three hours?

Unfortunately not, our sessions are a minimum of three hours to ensure that it is worth the travel time for our Moncierges.

What if I don't like my Moncierge?

Please call our customer service on 04 2221 4509, and your Moncierge Coordinator will troubleshoot a solution with you.

What if my Moncierge leaves?

These things can happen, but the m-Time team will be on hand to find a suitable replacement for you and brief them on how you like things by using your home manual. Typically, we will have a new Moncierge for you within one-two weeks – often without you needing to miss any sessions.

We’ll also give you an additional 30 minutes with your new Moncierge at the start of their first shift so that you can get to know each other.

These changes incur no additional costs.

Are you insured?

Yes, we are insured for up to $10 million.

Additional Services

Do you service parents of children with special needs?

Yes we do! When you join, you’ll be asked to explain your child’s needs in your membership questionnaire. We may also contact you to ensure we fully understand how best our Moncierges can meet the needs of your family.

As is standard practice for our service, we don’t encourage the use of Moncierges for childcare straight away. This is because we believe there should be a rapport and trust built between our families and Moncierges first. For parents of children with special needs, we have the same policy.